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Miniature shingles can be made from various materials, including birch veneer, cedar, and asphalt. They are available in strips or as individual pieces in a bag.
The most common miniature shingles are made from two types of wood - birch veneer and cedar. Birch veneer is thin and smooth, typically used for tab-and-slot dollhouses. Cedar is thicker with a ribbed surface and is usually used for cabinet-grade dollhouses. Both types come in a bag and need to be applied individually.
Greenleaf Dollhouses now offers laser-cut "speed shingles", which are birch veneer shingles arranged in a strip. This lets you apply an entire strip of shingles at once instead of one by one.
For an overview of the shingling process, refer to the Corona Concepts Shingling Instructions or the Real Good Toys Shingling Instructions.
Application With Templates
If your roof has many angles, using templates will help you cut the shingles more easily and accurately.
Creating Templates
To create templates, use paper to trace your roof panels. Postal paper is recommended because it is inexpensive, dark-colored, and comes in large rolls. You can trace your unassembled roof panels onto the paper before building your dollhouse. However, keep in mind that these traced templates may not fit perfectly due to overlapping panels and features like chimneys or skylights. It’s often easier to make templates after assembling the roof. When creating your templates, clearly mark the front and back sides as well as which panel they correspond to, so you don’t accidentally shingle the wrong side.
Place a piece of paper on the roof panel and press the edges with your fingertips to create creases. Cut out the shape with scissors, then dry fit the template to ensure it fits perfectly.
If your paper curls, roll it in the opposite direction and hold it until it flattens. It doesn't need to be perfect since it will be covered by shingles, so don't worry about wrinkles or minor damage. Label each template to indicate which panel it belongs to and which side is the front.
Use a pencil to draw shingle lines on your templates. These lines will guide where to place your shingles. Shingles should be staggered, with each row overlapping the one below. The width of the shingle lines is up to you and your preferred style, but they should generally be at least half the length of one shingle, or about 3/4 inch for birch veneer shingles. A birch veneer siding strip can serve as a good measuring guide. Draw your lines straight from the bottom to the top of each template, ensuring that all templates have matching lines so that shingles align evenly at gable joints.
Start applying your shingles with hot melt glue from the bottom of the template and work your way up, following your guidelines. If your guidelines are correct, the first row of shingles will overhang the bottom edge of your template.
After laying down the first row, use hot melt glue to attach the second row of shingles, following the pencil lines as a guide. This will create a slight overlap with the row below as you move upward on your panel. Be sure to stagger the shingles in each row alternately.
Hot melt glue is the best option for attaching shingles. While you can use wood glue, tacky glue, or white glue, these alternatives will slow down the process. Water-based glues can warp your shingles, leading to longer drying times and the risk of shingles shifting out of place. Since shingles do not support the structure of your dollhouse, hot melt glue is the ideal choice.
Once your panel is finished, remove any glue "spider webs" from the shingles. A stiff bristle brush works well for this, ensuring that your shingled templates are free of debris. These webs can interfere with staining or painting, so be thorough in cleaning them off. Next, flip your template over to see the shingles hanging off the edges. Use sharp shears, scissors, or a utility knife to trim them flush with the template. Be careful not to cut off the first rows or the bottom overhanging edge. You will now have a perfectly shingled replica of your roof panel.
Using a template method ensures perfect shingling on your roof, regardless of its angles. After shingling and staining your templates, attach them to the corresponding roof panels with tacky glue. Use tape and binder clips to ensure a flat fit. Apply the panels in the correct order - front panels first, followed by side, angled, and gable panels. This approach hides joints. For mansard roofs, apply side panels first, then front and back panels.
Application Without Templates
Some roof angles make it difficult to create templates for shingling.
This is uncommon but can occur. The mansard roof of the Lily Dollhouse,
with its steep slope, is a prime example. If you attempt to make
templates for this roof line, they will not fit properly because the
extreme slope prevents the shingles from bending enough to allow the
template to sit flat. To avoid this issue, shingles must be applied
directly to the roof.
Dollhouses like The Brimbles Mercantile Dollhouse,
which feature long corner joints, are best shingled without templates
to ensure the shingles fit closely together.
First, fully assemble your roof and then paint it a color that matches or closely resembles the stain or paint of your shingles. The goal is to conceal all raw wood on the panels so it does not show through between each shingle later on.
Apply your shingles using hot glue, just like you would with a template. Be sure to draw your lines and measure accurately as mentioned earlier.
Once the roof is finished, stain or paint your shingles, making sure to avoid drips on your dollhouse.
Finishing
Roof Top Trim
If your dollhouse doesn't have top roof trim, you can cover the gap between the roof panels by using dowels or shingles. If using shingles, lay them across the top ridge, overlapping each other.
You can buy L-shaped trim that fits over your roof ridge or decorative roof ridge trim from your miniatures dealer.
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| L-Shaped Trim |
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| Scalloped Roof Trim |
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| Plain Roof Top Trim |
Stain or Paint
You can leave your shingles natural for an authentic look, but I recommend brushing them lightly with a matte varnish to enhance the grain and protect them. If you prefer, you can paint your shingles any color using latex or acrylic craft paint.
Additionally, you can stain your shingles with any wood stain or create your own by mixing acrylic paint with varnish or a gel stain medium. I like to mix matte acrylic varnish with acrylic paint to achieve the perfect stain color. This mixture is fume-free and produces excellent results.
The ratio of paint to varnish depends on how dark or light you want the color. Slowly mix the paint into the varnish and test the hue on a scrap shingle. Add more paint for a richer color, but remember to add it gradually, as you can always add more but can't remove it once mixed.
Shingle Dye
Shingle Dye is available from many miniature dealers in brown or gray wash. Many people prefer it over traditional stains because it is non-toxic and has no fumes. It comes in powdered form and must be mixed with water to create the stain. You can control the color intensity by adjusting the water-to-powder ratio.
However, this stain is very runny once mixed. Be cautious when using this product, as it cannot be removed once applied. If it drips onto your dollhouse paint, you will need to sand off all the paint to remove it. Painting over it won't work, as the dye will seep through any additional coats.
I recommend using this product away from your dollhouse and wearing gloves. It's essential to seal this product after application. Once the shingles are dry, apply a clear coat sealant or matte varnish to prevent the stain from rubbing off on your fingers.
Stain Application
There is no right or wrong way to apply stain to your shingles; it’s about finding what works best for you. I prefer staining or painting my shingle templates before installing them on the dollhouse. If you do it after gluing them on, you risk drips on your newly painted dollhouse and may have difficulty reaching all areas due to roof angles.
Some people prefer to submerge all shingles in a bowl of stain at once. After staining, use a strainer to lift them out and lay them on parchment or wax paper to dry. This method ensures even coverage but may warp the shingles and affect glue adhesion since both sides will be stained. You can also choose to paint each shingle individually if that suits you better.
Patterned Shingle Designs
For added visual interest, consider using a mix of different shingle shapes, stains, and row widths on one roof.
Here are two excellent tutorials on creating patterned shingle roofs:
Below is an example of Victorian shingle patterns.
Keep In Mind
If you have small gaps in your shingling, you can easily cover them with stainable wood filler. The only stainable wood filler that matches unfinished birch veneer shingles is Minwax Stainable Wood Filler.
I recommend installing shingles before adding dormer windows for a cleaner finish. If your roof doesn't have slots for chimneys, it's better to install them after shingling. Leave these components for last if you're using birch veneer shingles. Cedar shakes are too thick to install components over, so you'll need to cut around finished dormers or chimneys.
Troubleshooting
Warping
Shingles typically do not warp due to their small size, but if they do, it’s usually because the wrong glue was used. To avoid issues, always use hot melt glue when attaching shingles. This method is easy and effective for achieving a professional look.
Light Color Between Shingles
Light spots between shingles often occur when a dark stain or paint is applied without matching the underlying roof panel color. Always paint your roof if you're using a very dark stain or paint on your shingles. If you notice light lines between shingles while taking pictures, try turning off your camera's flash and only use natural light.
This problem is less likely to happen if you use the bowl staining method, as all shingles will be stained completely. However, this method may risk warping and glue adhesion, so consider what matters more to you.
To fix light areas, use a fine-tipped paintbrush to match the color of the rest of your shingles. A flashlight can help you identify these areas.
Tip: You can stain or paint your shingles as you go. Stain or paint each row of shingles before adding the next row on top. This prevents the raw wood of the lower row from showing through the upper row.
Re-Shingling
You can re-shingle any dollhouse by removing the old shingles from the roof panels and applying new ones. If the shingles were installed with templates, this process is straightforward. If not, it may be more challenging.
Use a plastic putty knife and hammer to gently chisel off the old shingles. Don’t worry about damaging the roof panels, as new shingles will cover any imperfections. Sand the panels and fill any significant damage with spackle before applying new shingles.
